Pack-off tool



April 9, 1935. A, J PEMCK ET AL 1,997,431

PACK-OFF TOOL Filed Nov. 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l PACK-OFF TOOL FiledNov. 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED STATESPACK-OFF TOOL Arthur J. Pcnick and Kirby T. Penick, Houston, Tex.

Application November 28, 1932, Serial No. 644,430

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a pack-off tool.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool of the characterdescribed specially designed for the purpose of capping or closing theupper end or mouth of a well against the escape of gas or other fluid,under pressure, from a well.

Another object of the invention is to provide an appliance of thecharacter described that may be readily applied to the upper end of thecasing or pipe in a well while the pressure fluid is escaping therefrom,or at other times, and manipulated in such manner as to set a packing toform a fluid tight joint between the tool and the casing.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the characterdescribed whereby the escape of the pressure fluid may be controlledwhen the tool is applied to the casing and set.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pack-off tool that maybe applied either inside or outside of the casing and manipulated toform a fluid tight joint with said casing and to anchor itself againstdetachment from the eas- A still further object of the invention is toprovide a pack-off tool that may be readily released from the casing andremoved.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operation, andarrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the tool as applied to the casing ofa well.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view thereofshown in a well casing with the packing ready to be set.

Figure 3 shows a fragmentary side view partly in section of the guide.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows a side view of a form of the tool designed to be appliedto the outside of the cas- Figure 6 shows an enlarged fragmentaryvertical sectional view thereof, and

Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numeralsoi. reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, thenumeral I designates a casing or other pipe in a well to which thepack-off tool is to be applied.

In the form of device shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the numeral 2designates a tubular packer body whose upper end is externally threadedas at 3 and screwed onto the lower end of which there is a tubularcoupling 4. Threaded on to the reduced lower end of the coupling 4 thereis a downwardly tapering tubular guide 5 which is provided with suitableperforations 6 spaced apart therealong and the coupling 4 is alsoprovided with a perforation 1.

Around the packer body above the coupling 4 are the expansible upper andlower packers 8, 9 formed of suitable expansible packing material andbetween these packers 8, 9, there is a spacer sleeve 19. Around the body2 and above the packer 8 there is an upwardly tapering expander H. Thecoupling 4 overlaps the adjacent margin of the packer sleeve 9 and theexpander II overlaps the adjacent margin of the packer sleeve 8.

Surrounding the body 2 and seated in an annular groove l2 therearound,there is a ring l3 and the spacer sleeve I0 is counter bored from itsupper end so that it will fit over said ring i3 and an internal annularshoulder 14 is thus formed in the sleeve m which abuts against theunderside of the ring 13 to limit the upward movement of said sleeveIll.

Around the expander ll there is the slip [5 which is tubular in form andthis slip has the slots l6 extending from the lower end thereof andspaced apart therearound forming the flexible arms l1 whose lower endsare formed into the outwardly toothed slip jaws l8. The inner sides ofthose jaws are tapered to conform to the taper of the expander H. Thereis a tubular slip actuator I9 around the body whose upper end is formedinto the internally threaded nut 20 which is threaded onto theexternally threaded upper end of said body. The lower end of theactuator l9 works against the upper end of the expander I I, said lowerend being reduced forming the external shoulder 22 which is disposedopposite the upper end of the slip l5. Above the jaws l8 the slip has aninternal, annular, counterbore or groove 23, and the actuator I9 has anexternal annular rib 24 which Works in said groove. One of the slits ofthe slip as I6 extends from end to end of the slip so that in assemblythe slip may be sprung open so as to be slipped onto the lower end ofthe actuator 19 and over the rib 24.

When the apparatus is assembled for use a cross connection 25 is screwedonto the upper end of the body 3 and leading upwardly from saidconnection 25 there is an outlet pipe 26 incorporated into which thereis a gate valve 2?. Leading from the connection 25 are the flow lines28, 28 of any desired length and controlled by suitable valves or"conventional construction.

In case internal pressure is encountered in a well and the fluid flowsfrom the well uncontrolled the apparatus, as shown in Figure 1, may beassembled and elevated above the well by suitable appliance provided forthe purpose and then lowered with the guide 5 entering the upper end ofthe casing. Inasmuch as said guide is tapered downwardly the flow of thefluid from said well will be restricted thereby and the gas or oilflowing around the guide may enter the openings 5, 1 into the guide andpass on up through the body 2 and the pipe 26, the valve 2'! being openfor this purpose. When the apparatus is thus being lowered the actuator#9 should be adjusted into an intermediate position, indicated on thebody at 29 as running position. There is a suitable upstanding indicatorfinger 35, on the upper end of the actuator for this purpose. As thetool is being lowered into the casing the packer sleeve 9 is liable tocome into frictional contact with the inner side of the casing I whichwould tend to force said packer 9 upwardly relative to the body 2 butthis upward movement is prevented by the. engagement of the shoulder l4with the ring l3 so that the packer sleeve 8 above will not beprematurely expanded while going into the casing. It may be here notedthat the spacer sleeve H1 over-laps the adjacent margins of the packersleeves 8, 9. As the tool is lowered into the casing, the slip jaws IEwill contact yieldingly with the inner wall of the casing l and theshoulder 22 will engage the upper end of the slip as shown in Figure 2forcing said slip downwardly. When the tool is located at the desiredpoint in the casing the body 2 may be pulled upwardly, the actuator I 9moving therewith and this will cause the expander H to wedge between thejaws I8 and the body 2 and said jaws will be expanded into engagementwith the surrounding casing. The actuator l9 may then be turned to theright by means of the handles 3|, 3| provided for the purpose, theshoulder 22 resting on and turning on the upper end of the slip l5 andthis will cause a relative upward movement of the body 2. The expanderII will be held stationary during this upward movement of the body 2 andthe coupling 4 will operate against the lower end of the packer sleeveand both of the packer sleeves will thereby be expanded against thecasing I to form a fluid tight joint thus not only anchoring thepack-off tool to the casing but forming a fluid tight joint between thebody 2 and the casing.

The flow lines 28 as above stated will be equipped with conventionalvalves and by means of these valves and the valve 21 the flow of fluidfrom the Well may be entirely stopped or controlled.

When the actuator sleeve H has been rotated as above indicated to setthe packers, the indicating finger 38 will indicate that the packer hasbeen set when it is opposite the packed ed" indicator 32 on the body 2.

When it is desired to release and remove the pack off tool from thecasing the actuator f9 may be turned to the left and thus elevatedrelative to the body I and as elevated the rib 24 will engage againstthe shoulder at the upper end of the groove 23 and will elevate the slipjaws IB off of the expander ll, permitting said jaws to contract andrelease the casing when the slip is in released position the indicatingfinger 30 will be opposite the released indicator 33 on the body 2 andthe tool may then be readily withdrawn from the well casing. In the formshown in Figures 5 to 7 inclusive, there is a tubular guide 3 3 whoselower end is flared as at 35 to readily pass over the upper end of thecasing l and this guide has the external annular flange 35 thereonprovided with bearings 31 to receive the bolts 38 which are fittedupwardly therethrough. These bolts are secured to the flange 36 by meansof the heads 39 on one side of the flange and the lock nuts 40 on theother side thereof. There is a tubular body 4!, whose lower endtelescopes over the upper end of the guide 34 and has the internalannular shoulder 42 spaced above the upper end of said guide. Suitablepacking as 43, rests on the upper end of the guide 34 and is confinedbetween said end and the metal washer 44 which abuts the shoulder 42.The body M has an external annular flange 45 therearound having thebearings 46 therethrough to receive the upper ends of the bolts 38 andnuts 41, 48 are screwed onto said bolts, the former above the latterbeneath the flange 45. In the body 4| above the packing there is anupwardly flared slip seat 49 on which are the slips 50 which are adaptedto surround the casing i and whose outer sides are tapered to conform tothe taper of the seat 49 and whose inner surfaces are toothed. Theseslips are held in assembled relation by an open flexible ring 5| whichis fitted in the external dovetailed, notches 52 of the slips 50. Inthis form of the apparatus the cross connection 25 is connected to thebody 4| by means of the tubular connecting nipples 53, 54. The crossconnection 25, in this form, is equipped with the lateral flow lines 28,28 and leading upwardly from said cross connection is the outlet line 26incorporated into which there is the gate valve 21.

In use, this type of the tool may be elevated as hereinabove explainedin connection with the type shown in Figure 1 and then lowered over thecasing I, the gate valve 27 in the meanwhile being open. The nuts 48 maythen be screwed down on the bolts 38 and the nuts 41 then tightened upto compress the packing 43 so as to form a fluid tight joint with thecasing. The valve 2'! may then be closed and the tool will be securelyanchored to the well casing l by means of the i slips 50, so that thepack-oil tool can not be blown from the casing by the pressure of thewell fluid and said fluid maybe led oil from the well through the lines28 and controlled by the valves with which said lines are equipped.

When the well has been placed under control and the internal pressuredecreases until the pack-oil tool is no longer needed the connectionsabove may be disconnected and the nipple 54 unscrewed from the body 41and the slips 6!! may then be removed. In order to release saidslipbefore removal it may be necessary to screw the nuts 48, 41 further downon the bolts 3% and suitable hooks may then beengaged in the eyes 55, 55and the slips lifted out and the pack-ofi tools then removed from thecasing.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be apreferred form of themvention by way of illustration only while thebroad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A pack oil tool comprising a. tubular body;a tubular, downwardlytapering, perforated guide carried by the lower end of said body,ipacliing around said body, upper and lower abutments confining saidpacking, an expander on said upper abutment, expansible casing engagingslips associated with said expander, and adapted to be expanded thereby,and means for relatively moving said abutments to effect the expansionand contraction of said packer.

2. A pack-ofi tool comprising a tubular body shaped to be inserted intothe top of a pipe in a well, a tubular perforated guide carried by thelower end of the body, expansible packing around said body, a lowerabutment on the body abutting said packing, an upper abutment slidableon the body abutting said packing, an expander above said upperabutment, expansible slips arranged to be expanded by said expander intoengagement with the casing, an actuator on, and having a threadedconnection with, the body and peratively connected with said slips.

3. A pack-off tool comprising a tubular body shaped to be inserted intothe upper end of a pipe in a well, packing around said body, a tubulardownwardly tapering perforated guide carried by the body, means slidableon the body and operative against the upper end of said packer, slipsengageable with the casing to anchor the tool to said casing, said slipsforming means to limit the upward movement of said slidable means, andan actuator operatively connected with said body whereby the body may bemoved upwardly in the tool to effect the expansion of said packer.

4. A pack off tool adapted for connection to the upper end of a wellcasing and comprising a tubular body shaped to telescope with the upperend of a well casing, a guide connected to the lower end of said bodyadapted to guide the tool into such telescopic relation, packing betweenthe body and casing adapted to close the space between said body andcasing, means between the body and easing above the packing engageablewith the casing upon upward movement of the body to anchor the body tothe casing, means having telescopic relation with the casing beneath thepacking effective to compress the packing and means accessible to theoperator and having an adjustable connection with said body throughwhich said compressing means may be moved to compress the packingwhereby a fluid tight seal is formed between the body and casing.

ARTHUR J. PENICK. KIRBY T. PENICK.

